An Old Friend And New Enemies
by jappy
Summary: Hayes Cooper ,Lena Merchant and K ate Sullivan are out to catch 2 theives.
1. chapter 1

An Old Friend And New Enemies Part 1  
A Hayes Cooper Story told by Alex (Cahill) Walker  
  
  
To Alex, Sydney, Gage and Trivette C.D's Bar And Grill was a place  
to get together with friends and to have fun. Often sometimes Walker  
and C.D would read some diaries of Walker's hero, Hayes Cooper. This  
time Alex found a Hayes Cooper story and decided to read it. Like  
watchful children they sat at the bar clinging onto Alex's every word  
of the story.  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
It was a cold day while the bounty hunter Hayes Cooper rode his   
horse along the outskirts of a small Texas town called " Devil's Saw "  
on the lookout for two thieves, Ben Gatenby and Jappy Thomas for  
thefting town valuables and town property. Hayes had been offered a raw   
deal of $500.00 to catch these thieves.  
  
"Hey!" Hayes looked up as he heard a shout across the field then   
saw a lady on a horse resembling a cowboy looking at him. The woman rode up   
to Hayes Carrying on a conversation. " Say, what's a stranger like you   
doin' out here?"  
  
"I was jist gonna ask you the same." Said Hayes.  
  
"I jist came out here fer some air." said the woman as she looked   
over the horizon breathing in the fresh air. "It gits kinda crazy  
in town listenin' to the people fightin' over nothin'."  
  
"Devil's Saw, right?" Hayes asked. " I'm headin' there now."  
  
"Need help gittin' there?" The woman asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"Y'know hwere it is?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"What's yer name?"  
  
"Cooper. Hayes Cooper."  
  
"Lena Merchant."  
  
"I'm headin' to town now."  
  
"Kin I come?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Hungry?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Thirsty?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Let's go to the bar anyways."  
  
"Ok."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"So who was Lena Merchant to Hayes?" Gage asked questioningly.  
  
"You'll find out." Alex said. "Let me read this."  
  
"Does Lena fall for Hayes?" Sydney interruped.  
  
"Would you let me read this!?" Alex exclaimed.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"I jist came here to Devil's Saw about three days ago." Said  
Lena. "I jist heard 'bout two chumps theftin' stuff from the town like   
property an' stuff. Everybody sez' deys the sorriest piece of humanity   
put on the planet."  
  
"Any idea where they might be?" Hayes asked while drinking his beer  
as he avoided to look at her face.  
  
"Naw." Lena said as she shook her head. There was a moment of silence   
between the two of them.  
  
"Ya don't say too much, do ya?" Lena asked curiously.  
  
"Ain't gotta." Said Hayes.  
  
"Sure ya do." Lena said as she thought for a moment. "Y'know, what  
you jist said made some kinda sense to me. A person kin say  
everything without sayin' too much at all."  
  
"I'm not much of a talker." Said Hayes.  
  
"I guess I kin respect that." Said Lena. "So where ya from?"  
  
"Other side of Texas." Hayes answered as he took another drink of   
his beer. "Didcha ever see the two theives?"  
  
"Now, Hayes," Started Lena. "If I don't know where they might be  
I sure as hell never met em'. You seem awfully dadgummed interested  
in meetin' em', ain't ya? What are ya? Some kinda law man?"  
  
"Bounty hunter." Hayes said. "Got a $500.00 reward fer bringin' em'  
in."  
  
"Jeez' Louise!" Lena exclaimed. "That's a lot fer catchin' no  
gooders."  
  
"I'm goin to look fer em' now." Hayes announced while he stood up  
finishing his beer.  
  
"Mind if I join?" Asked Lena as her eyes opened wide with excite.  
  
"Y'ain't gonna ask a bunch of queshiuns are ya?" Hayes trying  
to keep his distance.  
  
Hayes and Lena walked out of the bar with high hopes of finding  
Ben and Jappy.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"I'm glad I picked up this story." Said Alex as she paused from  
her reading. "It's hard to believe this was way back in the 1880's.  
So many things like this-"  
  
"OK! OK!" Trivette interrupted. "Will you just hurry up and  
read on?!"   
  
"Ok! I'm reading."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hayes and Lena rode the unexpected quietness along the serene open  
fields taking in the sun's rays burning in their eyes. No words were   
spoken. No glances were exchanged. Just the clacking of the horses'  
feet lingered upon them. Just then out of nowhere gunfires were heard   
in a dangerously close distance. When the culprits appeared over the  
hills with guns in their hands Hayes gave two men direct hits with his  
gun in their chests with one swift motion and Lena watched the other  
three run off in a panicked state. Lena never expected to see a person  
this swift and powerful. As she sat on her horse she stared at Hayes  
simply amazed and overwhelmed. Within seconds she felt a rock hit her  
on the arm and she shook herself out of her speechlessness.  
  
"Whassamatta?" Hayes asked looking at her as if she were out of it.  
  
"Nothin'." She said shaking her head astounded.  
  
"Howd ya do that?" Lena asked.  
  
"Practice." Hayes simply said.  
  
Hayes and Lena headed back to the bar to get another drink and   
Lena offered to ask for a room above the bar for Hayes but he refused  
insisting he'd sleep under the stars.  
  
"Ok, Why doncha want a room?" asked Lena. "Ya git a nice soft bed   
to sleep in with one of those buckwheat pillers. Better'n' sleepin'  
on dirt an' rocks, ain't it?"  
  
"Don't feel right inside." Said Hayes. "Makes me feel like a sage  
hen cooped up in a cage all night."  
  
"You're one stranger fellah, y'know that?" Lena asked shaking her  
head as she stood up. "I'm tired. I'm callin' it a night. G'nite."  
  
"G'nite." Hayes said as he watched her go out the door and off  
until he no longer could see her. A minute later he heard a scream  
and few malicious sounding laughters. He rose from his seat and   
strode outside to see what was. He noticed a blonde lady in the hands   
of a group of what seemed to be young boys. Of course when he told   
them to take a hike they had to put up a big fight. All Hayes had to  
do was blow a spinning back kick into one of the boys' ribcage, a  
quick jab in the jawbone and a cresent kick in the chest to see them  
land on the other side of the dirt road.  
As the lady straightened out her long beige dress she saw the boys  
run off in shock and Hayes watched them go.  
  
"You ok?" Hayes asked as he searched for a face.  
  
"Yes, Thank you." The lady said as she looked up at Hayes then her  
small smile disappeared. When she reconized his face she smiled from ear to   
to ear. Hayes had finally cracked a smile for the first time since he  
arrived at Devil's Saw.  
  
"Kate Sullivan?" Hayes asked not sure what to say.  
  
"Hayes Cooper." Kate smiled.  
  



	2. chapter 2

An Old Friend And New Enemies  
Part 2  
  
  
"Do you usually run into people like this?" Kate asked. "More than  
once?"  
  
"No," Hayes chuckled. "But it's real nice meetin' ya agin'. I'm   
goin' to bed. It's gittin' late. See ya in the mornin', Ma'am."  
  
Hayes smiled and nodded at Kate then walked down the dusty road.   
He didn't get very far seeing how stubborn Kate was about letting him  
go without having a friendly chat.  
  
"Hey!" Kate exclaimed as she ran after him and grabbed his arm   
turning him around. "It's never too late to talk to an old friend.  
Come on." She tried to walk him to the bar but was not successful.  
  
"Kate," Hayes sighed. "I jist got back from this place. Kin we go  
some place else?"   
  
"Ok, come on." Kate smiled as she walked him to a patio outside to   
sit down.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Ben, I'm tellin' ya this fellah ain't normal." Tommy whined. "He  
killed two of my men like run'way chickens! With me, you, Jappy an'  
the other two of my men left he's gonna git us."  
  
"Look," Ben sighed as he shook his head. "He only got two of yer   
men. Jist means we gotta lay low fer a while so shuddup an' stop yer  
whinin'! Jappy'll help us. Do ya have an idea where this swabbie is?"  
  
"You'll prob'ly see im' in town." Tommy said.  
  
"Good!" Ben exclaimed. "Saddle up yer men ya got left an' git im'  
before Jappy gits in a tissy."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No buts!" Ben's voice boomed. "Git yer ass out there an' git im'!"  
  
Tommy disliked the idea of taking the rest of his men out to get   
Hayes Cooper but Ben would tan his hide if he didn't get Hayes to stay   
out of Jappy's way. He considered himself lucky though because Jappy  
would kill him right on the spot if he even spoke. Ben and Jappy were  
too close to getting the Yellow Rose, which was a 25lbs golden rose  
that sat in the town show case, that they were not going to let some   
out of towner stop them.Tommy was riding along the dirt roads of   
Devil's Saw watching for Hayes Cooper deep in thought of how he and  
his men were going to lure Hayes to Ben and Jappy. Tommy observed that  
Ddevil's Saw was not a lonely place. People hand in hand with their  
children, husbands, wives and friends, People on horseback and animals   
being herded off to the sides of the roads. It was always pretty  
noisy hearing bar fights coming from the bar and the pounding of metals  
from the blacksmith shop. Tommy just had to wonder how he intended on  
getting the yellow rose and he shook his head in disgust trying to  
figure out why he let Jappy talk him into this mess. Just then Tommy   
caught sight of his new enemy, Hayes Cooper talking to a blonde woman.  
'Playin' the field with the blonde ladies, eh?" Tommy thought. He   
signaled to his men help him run out and shoot Hayes. Not to kill him.  
Just hurt him. Tommy's men distracted Hayes while Tommy drew his gun  
but sadly he was too late. When he finished tying up his horse he   
saw that his men had already been on their knees begging for their   
lives and Hayes' gun was pointing right at Tommy.  
  
"I was wonderin' where ya'll was." Hayes said proudly talking to the  
three men sitting on Kate's deck all tied up and muzzled. "I wuz'  
beginnin' to think ya'll fergot about me."  
  
Kate looked over at Hayes in confusion. "More enemies?"  
  
"Actually I'm lookin' fer Ben an' Jappy but I git the strangest  
feelin' these men are my keys to em'." Hayes said.  
  
"Ben and Jappy?" Kate muttered to herself curiously. "Someone told me  
they heard they were after the Yellow Rose."  
  
"Hmm? Sounds Familiar." Hayes sighed and frowned. "What's that?"  
  
"It's a 25lbs gold rose here in the show case." Kate said. "It's  
worth more than our money can buy."  
  
Hayes ripped the hankerchief away from one man's mouth and demanded  
answers but he had trouble getting them.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
"I need a drink of water." Alex said as she walked behind the bar.  
"Hold on a sec."  
  
"Sure thing counsellor." Trivette replied. "So, ya have any cases   
coming up?"  
  
"What cases?" Alex asked with a frown as she walked back out around  
with a glass of water. "Jimmy, did you forget already? I can't go back   
to work until three months after the baby is born. Hel-looo! Earth to  
Jimmy!?"  
  
"Oh, sorry." Trivette muttered as he looked at the five month   
pregnant Alex. It's just that it seems like yesterday you were doing our  
paperwork. I can't wait until you get back so we can dump it all off  
on you."  
  
"Oh Thanks. I'll love you forever for that." Alex said sarcasticly  
as Gage and Sydney chuckled. "Ok, let's get back the story before  
Walker gets here or else we'll have to read it all over again for him."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
"Well, I guess I'll hafta put you fellahs over at the county jail."  
Hayes said looking at the three men then at Kate. With that he bent  
down and pulled them up by the scruffs of their necks as they yelped  
in pain ten walked them to his horse tying their hands to the rope   
that hung from his saddle. Hayes jumped on his horse nodding at Kate  
then rode down the lane with his new enemies dragging by his horses  
side cursing as they tried to stay on their feet.  
The county jail was not a friendly place when the sherrif was there  
eating his canned beans and rasin bread when the prisoners saw him.  
The prisoners only ate once a day and they looked like walking sticks  
in long underwear. Tommy and his men would definantly hate it here and  
Hayes was sure of it.  
  
"Well," Hayes sighed. "I hope ya like it here. I got a feelin' yer  
gonna be here fer a long time."  
  
Hayes tilted his hat at the sherrif and walked outside to find Kate  
waiting for him. He frowned at her and talked in a mimicking child-like  
voice.  
  
"Kin I go to bed now mama?"   
  
Kate didn't answer. Instead she laughed while Hayes walked away.   
She soon noticed Hayes walking off and she ran ahead of him cutting him  
off.  
  
"Where are you staying?" Kate asked.  
  
"Under the stars." Hayes said. "It's purty there."  
  
"Why don't you stay at my place?" Kate asked as Hayes started to   
shake his head and protest but before he could say anything Kate had  
already pulled him in her house.  
  
Hayes layed trying to get comfy in the bed that Kate pushed him in  
and told him to shut up and get some sleep looking out the window at   
the stars that were brightly shining. 'I suppose this'll do.' Hayes  
thought as Kate walked in the room moving to close the curtains thinking  
he was asleep.  
  
"Stop!" Hayes boomed a little louder than usual causing Kate to  
jump and freeze in her tracks. She turned to look at Hayes in a pretty  
ticked off stare.  
  
"You!" Kate shrieked running over to the bed scaring Hayes half to   
death making him shrivel against the wall.  
  
"I didn't mean it!" Hayes yelped in such a feminine tone that Kate   
had to collapse on the bed laughing but Hayes wasn't enjoying this as   
much as she was.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Reminds me of Walker." Trivette said. "Stubborn, Mule-headed-"  
  
"Uptight, aggravating," Alex took over thinking out loud not   
realizing she was actually talking."Never could talk him out of anything,  
smarty pants, lone wolfy, mysterious, and sooooo gosh darned irresistable  
... ahh, sorry, the story. heh heh." Alex fumbled around with the page  
nervously.  
  
"Alex, I think that's what got you in this condition it the first   
place." Gage grinned looking at her stomach."  
  
"Shut up!" Alex said as she turned red in embarrassment. "If anyone  
says anything else about my water melony stomach there will be a big   
murder trial. a big one."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hayes woke up the next morning without a stiff back this time. At  
first he had to wonder where he was but when he figured he stayed at  
Kate's he jumped out of the bed to put his coat and hat on and walked   
out of the room to look for Kate. From the looks of it outside it was  
6:oo am. Hayes walked in Kate's room only to find her bed messed up and  
a note on her pillow. He read the note and bolted out the door jumping  
on his horse racing to the county jail. He barged in the doors to see   
the panicked look on the sherrif's face.  
  
"Look Hayes, I'm sorry." the sherrif said shaking his head. "One  
of the men you brought in yesterday escaped last night."  
  
Hayes nodded nodded and ran out the door and bumped into Lena.  
  
"Whoa!" Lena exclaimed. "Whut's gut yer goat? Ya lookin' fer somethin  
or whatever?"  
  
"They got Kate." He said with a cold voice and fury in his eyes.  



	3. chapter 3

"Who's Kate?" Lena asked.  
  
"A friend." Hayes said walking quickly to his horse. "If they do anything to her I'll kill   
em'."  
  
"Hey! Wait up!" Lena said following. "You've only been here fer 24 hours an' ya got trouble  
tailin' ya already? Whut happened?"   
  
"I'll explain while we look fer em'." Hayes said as he sat on his   
horse. "Git yer horse."  
  
As Hayes and Lena raced across the horizon trying to find clues to  
get to Kate, Hayes explained the entire story as Lena tried to make some sense out of his endless  
chattering.  
  
In the meantime Kate was tied up to a stall in an old abandoned barn struggling to be free  
from the ropes that chaffed her wrists and ankles. They were tight and they hurt as they bled.  
The warm blood of her nose bleed from Jappy's hard punch trickled down her throat, as she  
reluctantly swallowed she felt a headache coming on. She couldn't worry about that right now.  
She had to find a way to escape or hope that Hayes would find her.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"I know what it feels like, Kate." Alex muttered to herself.  
  
"I think we all do, Alex." Trivette smiled. " We've been through a lot these years."  
  
"After you get done that story of Hayes you're gonna have to share some of those stories  
with us." Sydney said in a suggestive tone.  
  
"You've heard most of them." Alex sighed.  
  
"Yeah, by C.D's words." Gage said as they chuckled and their smiles faded. C.D their close  
friend, very much like a father to them had just passed away a few months ago and the pain  
of losing someone they loved was still evident in their eyes.  
  
"Ok, sure." Alex said. "When C.D told us a story we all fell asleep and didn't hear a damned  
word he said. Did I tell you about Big Foot Johnson?"  
  
"Nah." Sydney laughed. "But we heard it about 50 times from him. He always repeated where  
he kept the jerky. Come on, I can't wait to hear the end of the story."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Where do ya think she could be?" Lena asked.  
  
"Dunno," Hayes sighed looking around. "But when I git my hands on Jappy an' Ben I'll kill  
em'."   
  
"Jeez'," Lena said. "If anyone had a friend of mine I'd kill em', send em' to hell an' bring  
em' back jist to kill em' agin."  
  
"I'd do more'n that." Hayes muttered.  
  
"Woah, Little protective ain't we? Some ass surfin on yer turf?" Lena asked suspiciously.  
"How special is she to ya?"  
  
Hayes looked up to her not knowing exactly what to say about that.  
  
"Nevahmind." Lena sighed in exsaperation as she rolled her eyes. "Howdcha meet?"  
  
"On Paradise Trail with a group of mormons," Hayes said. "They were in trouble so I rode with  
em' to their family. When someone ambushed us we caught im' an' he wouldn't shut up. Kept  
sayin' he knowed he knowed Kate from somewhere. From Tulsa as Sully at the Red Line dancin'  
Said she was bout' the hottest thing that ever hit the dance floor."  
  
"A dancer?" Lena frowned.   
  
"Yup." Hayes said.  
  
"Is she still a dancer?" Lena asked.  
  
"No," Hayes said. "She stopped dancin' after she found a home with the mormons."  
  
"Have ya seen her dance?" Lena asked.  
  
"No," Hayes said. "Why'd I want to?"  
  
"Cuz' yer a man. " Lena sneered jokingly.  
  
The hunt for Kate seemed to go on forever and the crooks were weren't anywhere to be seen  
yet. Hayes began to worry but showed no fear. He sensed that Kate wasn't in any drastic  
trouble yet. Truthfully he didn't want to know.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Damnit!" Kate muttered as she surrendered to the ropes. "Why do I even bother? It's too  
dark in here and men are jerks. That son of a bitch is goin' down an' I'm gonna see it happen."   
Her face twisted in an angry sneer as she tried to kick the bucket in front of her but failed  
to reach it. The ropes were too tight. Finally she just screamed hoping someone would find her.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Why are we kidnappin' the girl?" Tommy asked Jappy annoyed. "She ain't got nothin' to do with  
Cooper. We said we were only gonna git im'."  
  
"Cuz' Tommy," Jappy sarted sarcasticly. "If were right bout' this Coopers got a thing fer the  
girl so he's gonna come runnin' an' hook, line, sinker we got im' an' we don't leave witnessess.  
Are you stupid?"  
  
"I jist don't think it's a good idea is all." Tommy said.   
  
"I don't care." Jappy sneered holding his gun to Tommy's neck. "I want you to git out an' find  
Cooper agin'. Before you say anythin' I jist want ya to know git im' I'll git ya before Cooper.  
That's a comfort."  
  
So Tommy did as Jappy told him. There was no way out of it now. The last time he got caught  
by Hayes it scared the hell out of him and he hoped he wouldn't have to do that again. Wrong.  
Just when he was thinking about getting caught again he saw what would be deep trouble to him.  
Hayes Cooper was riding along the wooded path as the sun's rays blazed in his eyes. Soon another  
cowboy figure peered out from around the corner behind Hayes. Tommy decided he'd play a little  
game of hide and seek for a few hours before he was snipped again. Tip toeing from one tree to  
another as he spied on his enemies he not only saw another cowboy, however that cowboy was what  
seemed to be a female. 'Huh?' Tommy thought, 'odd. That'll make im' easier to git.' Tommy decided  
to play his cards with a poor hand and charged at Hayes and Lena on his horse whooping and  
screaming like a banshee. His horse came to a halt as Hayes' horse bucked in alarm and Lena's  
whinned as if it saw a ghost. Tommy pulled a gun out and Lena drawed on him before he could open  
his mouth to speak. He fell to the ground below his feet wincing in pain with a bullet in his  
shoulder. Lena jumped off her horse and walked over to Tommy to get a closer look at him and  
turned to Hayes.  
  
"This the one?" Lena asked.  
  
"Yup." Hayes simply said as he sat on his horse looking at him.  
  
When Lena wasn't looking Tommy stood up about ready to deck her in the face but she reared a  
kick out from behind her in his stomach sending him flying right in Hayes' horse's feet. Hayes  
just sat on his horse watching as if he couldn't get enough action.  
  
"Hi Mr!" Lena greeted Tommy with a punch in the nose. "I wuz' jist wonderin' if you seen  
my girlfriend Kate.  
  
"Who the Hell's Kate?" Tommy denied as he held his nose.  
  
"Don't ride with me on this? I'm talkin' bout' Kate," Lena snapped as she kicked his knee watching him   
fall. "Byrnes."  
  
"I don't know whut yer talkin' bout'!" Tommy whined.   
  
"Oh yes you do." Lena told him with a punch in the chest.  
  
"Are you tryin' to kill me for nothin'?" Tommy shrieked gasping for air.  
  
"If ya tell me where Kate is then jist maybe I won't kill ya, Stupid." Lena sneered.  
  
"Over my dead body!" Tommy snapped.  
  
"Ah-ha! You do know what I'm talkin' bout'!" Lena's fist rammed right in his nose and he  
screamed like a banshee in a trap.  
  
"You broke by dose!" Tommy whined.  
  
"Looks real good on ya," Lena smiled. "But I like it the other way." Lena's fist was in mid  
air when Tommy finally spoke up.  
  
"NO! An old abandoned barn up on the hill." Tommy cried. 'bout 10 minutes from here tops. don't   
hit me agin' an' please don't let Jappy after me."  
  
"Didcha catch that?" Lena asked looking at Hayes as he nodded back. "Good I'll take him back  
to his pals over at the county jail."  
  
& & &  
  
"God, Tommy is stupid." Sydney sighed. "I mean he should know better than to go after Hayes  
the second time after being caught already."  
  
"That's true." Alex nodded as she stretched and yawned. "Boy, I'm wiped."  
  
"So am I." Trivette said. "Where on earth is Walker? I can't raise him on the radio."  
  
"He's out for the Casey brothers in San Antone." Alex said. "He wanted to do it alone. You  
know him. Let's get this story kaput."  
  
& & &  
  
Kate was starting to get very tired. Praying for a soul to find her and struggling from  
the ropes all day was tiresome so she decided to take a light sleep. She wasn't in any danger  
yet as far as she could see and Hayes was probably going to be a while. While Kate slept she  
had a dream. In that dream she saw Hayes saved her and in no time she was safe in his arms   
smiling in her slumber. She heard the hooves of his horse clacking on the solid ground. She  
was still asleep but the sound still never stopped. They seemed to come closer and louder. The   
noise made her jump up and it seemed so real that she just had to look around the corner to see  
what it was. It was Hayes. She smiled and called his name, "Hayes! I'm here.Help me."  
  
Hayes lifted his head as he jumped off his horse and ran in the barn. Suddenly 2 men ran in through  
the back of the barn shooting their guns.  
  
"No!" Kate screamed as a bullet struck Hayes in the arm and the next bullet burned by her  
thigh knicking it by an inch and she screamed as a pang of sudden pain went up her leg.  
Wincing Hayes pulled out his gun and shot him to the ground like nothing. He crawled over to  
Kate and untied the ropes on her ankles and wrists. She looked at his arm wincing.  
  
"Let me fix this." Kate said as she ripped the front of her dress out and tied it around  
the wound in the flesh of his arm wincing. "This has got to hurt."  
  
"Yeah, it does." Hayes sighed in pain. "You get used to it. Does your's hurt? How bad is it?"  
  
"Not as bad as your's." Kate smiled pained. "It only knicked me. I don't believe this. I won't  
believe this."  
  
"What?" Hayes asked as he looked at her. It was funny because it was the first time he ever  
looked a woman in the eye without bringing his head down like always.  
  
"I figured we'd be doing something else other than talking about bullets flying at us."  
Kate chuckled." I thought we'd be sitting around gabbing."  
  
"Let's go to town." Hayes smiled as he picked her up off her knees and helped her up on his horse.  
They rode back to town and Kate held the reins as Hayes bandaged her wound.  
  
& & &  
  
Kate never got too much sleep when she had been kidnapped so she slept all afternoon. Just  
before she fell asleep she made Hayes promise her he wouldn't leave until she woke up. She   
dreamed that Hayes left while she was sleeping and she popped up in a little sweat. She needed  
to see for herself if he hed left. She jumped her out of her bed forgetting she had been shot  
in the leg. A sharp pain flew up her thighs and she fell to the floor groaning.  
  
"Damn." She muttered as she pulled herself up holding on the foot of her bed and pushing  
with her other leg. She walked to her window to see what she would see. Just a rainy day and  
drops almost as big as golf balls pounded the glass.  
  
"Who banged?" Hayes asked peering around the corner in her room.  
  
"Me. Sorry." Kate giggled. "I got up and fell flat on my face. It was a long way down."  
  
"Y'ain't suppossed to do that." Hayes sighed as he shook his head walking in.  
  
Kate stared out the window watching contently as the rain poured in front of her face on the   
window pane.'oh sure,' Kate thought. 'Hayes is leaving and it has to rain. it's enough to make me cry.  
i hate rain.'  
  
"I don't suppose you'll be back this way?" Kate asked.  
  
"I don't suppose." He said.  
  
"Whynot?" She asked.  
  
"Whut kinda quesun' is that for a bounty hunter?" Hayes asked.  
  
"Some bounty hunters live somewhere. Besides wouldn't it be nice to have roots in a place?"  
Kate reasoned with him.  
  
"It would." He agreed.  
  
"Then stay." Kate said hopefully as she looked up at him.  
  
"It's not that easy." Hayes started.  
  
"Sure it is." Kate pleaded. "All you do is put yourself some place and stick in it."  
  
"I would if I could." Hayes said solemnly.  
  
"Remember what you said on the patio yesterday?" She asked. "you had a home with your   
mother and father before they died and it was then you felt complete? Maybe it'll make you  
feel better."  
  
"Tempting." Hayes gulped as he looked in her eyes thinking, 'busted! she got me there. Damned  
them eyes are creepy. they make me feel as if my skull is shrinkin'. Is it shrinking? oh larwd  
it is!'  
  
"Pleeease. Just for a little few days?" She begged and smiled as she knew she was winning   
this dispute thinking,'Gotcha! Man I love wheedling him. it's so fun! I can't believe it!  
I'm beating him! if that isn't the goofiest look of losing I ever saw in my life.'  
  
"Jist for a little while." He said pointing his finger at her. "I'm not stayin' ferever so  
don't git too atattched."  
  
"Yes!" Kate yelped as she jumped in his arms giving him a big hug knocking them both on the floor.  
The pain of where they had been shot was very painful. "Oooww, My leg."  
  
"My arm," Hayes grimaced in pain. "Hurts like hell."  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry." Kate laughed apologeticaly and helped herself up then helped Hayes up.  
"Now, seeing how you're staying I think we should talk of old times and go somewhere. Hey,I know.  
Let's ride our horses and...  
  
* * *  
  
Alex stared off in space as she closed the book smiling, "Ain't nothin' like a nice happy  
ending."  
  
Trivette, Gage and Sydney looked at Alex grinning until they couldn't hold it any longer.  
Bouts of laughter erupted the room and brought Alex's attention back to present time.  
  
"What?!" She yelped.  
  
"Geez, A face can't get any cornier than that." Gage snickered.  
  
Alex rolled her eyes and threw a balled up paper napkin at him. He ducked and the ball flew  
into Walker's head with a plomp.  
  
"I'm telling you Gage," Walker warned. "If she throws anything else at me I'll kill you. Also  
she'll do a lot of damage. Like she hasn't already. Yesterday she threw a dead plant out the  
bedroom window upstairs and it went smack dab on my poor head. So what are we doing?'  
  
"Nothin'." Alex said as innocently as hell. "Just hangin' out."  
  
"You look like you feel better." Walker said as he wrapped her arms around her.  
  
"You had to remind me." Alex smiled but it quickly disappeared and she broke free of his arms  
with eyes as wide as saucers and hand over her mouth running straight to the washroom. "You  
had to remind me."  
  
"Sick again." Trivette sighed.  
  
"Syd, how long does this morning sickness last?" Walker asked.  
  
"How should I know?" she asked back scrunching her face.  
  
"I'm just glad I don't get anything like that?" Walker said as his face curled.  
  
"God, men are whimps." Sydney sighed   
  
Gage, Walker and Trivette exchanged glances and started to talk all at once.  
  
"Can't argue with that." Trivette said.  
  
"We're men." Walker nodded.  
  
"We're whimps." Gage admitted.  
  
  
  



End file.
